The present invention relates to methods of forming high temperature superconducting Josephson junctions, more particularly, to a method of forming a high temperature superconducting Josephson junction which achieves a formation of a Josephson junction having high characteristics conveniently and quickly without necessitating costly micromachining facilities.
A high temperature superconducting Josephson device has gained a high attention and has been required to be commercialized as a new electronic device which realizes, for example, an ultrahigh frequency generating device capable of generating frequencies in a range of terahertz or more, an ultrahigh frequency detecting device capable of detecting frequencies in a range of terahertz or more, a SQUID (superconducting quantum interference device) magnetometric sensor and, further, a digital device carrying a mass information processing system.
On the other hand, when the Josephson junction is formed using a single crystal or a thin film, the micromachining facilities which are used for producing a semiconductor device such as a convergence ion beam etching device and a photolithography device has ordinarily been employed. There, however, is a problem in using the micromachining facilities for producing such devices that, for example, not only a tremendously high cost, but also a complexity of production process and an extended period of production time are necessary. Further, it is difficult to conduct a study associated with the Josephson junction at a research institute without having the micromachining facilities whereupon, since the micromachining facilities are extremely highly priced, it is a present situation that a number of researchers who are related with the Josephson junction is limited.
Further, it is considered essential to achieve downsizing the Josephson device from a viewpoint of, for example, prevention of malfunction to be caused by heat generation, reduction of power consumption, enhancement of integration and enhancement of characteristics.